The federal authorities final week introduced that Florida has been awarded greater than $209 million for FY 2026 from the Rural Well being Transformation Program (RHTP) to strengthen rural well being care in our state. The Florida Hospital Affiliation (FHA), which had advocated for the funding, praised the federal authorities’s main funding in Florida, celebrating its impression on communities throughout the Sunshine State.
“Florida’s rural hospitals are lifelines of their communities, offering entry to take care of the households who reside in rural areas,” stated Mary C. Mayhew, president and CEO of FHA. “This important funding not solely sustains these important lifelines however strengthens them. By constructing a stronger workforce, implementing fashionable applied sciences and establishing collaborative partnerships throughout rural care suppliers, we are able to higher meet the wants of each group from the Panhandle to the Glades.”
Dealing with rising prices and low occupancy, 5 of Florida’s rural hospitals have closed over the last 20 years, and three have transformed to emergency or pressing care. The long-term viability of rural hospitals is a severe concern and a high precedence of the Florida Hospital Affiliation, given the vital position they play in offering entry to well timed care.
When the federal authorities created the Rural Well being Transformation Program as a part of the One Huge Lovely Invoice, signed on July 4, 2025, FHA partnered with different stakeholders to develop coordinated suggestions for Florida’s Company for Well being Care Administration (AHCA) to think about as a part of its utility improvement. Greater than 60 pages of knowledge, evaluation, and suggestions have been in the end offered to help the company in its work.
“Floridians deserve well timed entry to high quality care, irrespective of the place they reside,” stated Mayhew. “The Rural Well being Transformation Program gives a complete framework and an inflow of assets to make sure rural residents should not left behind as Florida’s well being care system evolves.”
The $209 million awarded for FY 2026 represents the one largest federal funding in rural well being care in Florida. This award is the primary of the five-year grant program, which is funded by $10 billion yearly for a complete of $50 billion in nationwide appropriation {dollars}.
Florida’s three main focus areas for RHTP funding are:
1. Bettering entry to care
2. Strengthening the well being care workforce
3. Advancing well being care innovation
AHCA will search appropriation from the Legislature as a way to expend the funds awarded. As that course of develops and AHCA begins to implement the awarded funds, FHA will proceed to advocate for Florida’s rural hospitals to make sure the funds invested yield the best return for Florida’s rural communities.
